


Pyrophobia

by calangkoh



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: 5+1, Gen, headcanon for TP links origins, old thing i wrote about TP link having a fear of fire, there are a lot of fiery situations in that game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 00:53:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17652911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calangkoh/pseuds/calangkoh
Summary: five times link faced his fear of fire and the one time where that fear originated





	Pyrophobia

**Author's Note:**

> another one of my “i wrote this a long time ago and could rewrite it better but i also dont want to change what was important for me to write for myself at the time” fics

**VI**.

 

Link wondered if King Bulbin would ever learn, or if he’ll have to kill him. Problem is, the bastard just would not die. 

 

He limped out of the barn, clutching his arm. The door slammed behind him and locked. Link ran to the tall wood posts and banged on them, with no effect. 

 

Somehow he knew what would happen next. 

 

He smelled the fire first, like he always does. He smells it before he hears the crackles rattle his brain and reverberates in his chest, before he feels the heat against his exposed skin and on the metal parts of his garb. 

 

Midna appeared next to him. This time she understood. She looked at him sadly.

 

“It’ll be okay, Link. Just think,” she soothed, looking around the barn herself for a way out. 

 

Her eyes fell on the awakening boar, who reared and screeched in panic. 

 

Link spun, and the sight of the animal thrashing in the growing flames struck him to the core. 

 

Midna touched his shoulder. They met each other’s gaze and took a synchronized breath. 

 

Then Link approached the boar, doing everything he could to calm it, and Midna was once again amazed by Link’s ability with animals. The boar calmed down and let Link get on it.

 

They lined up in front of the locked gate just as beams began to crumble above them, and the boar charged right through the splintery wood and away from the burning barn.

 

**V**.

 

Link smelled the oil, but Midna was the first to say something. 

 

The bulbin at the end of the bridge released two fiery arrows on either side. Fire now spread across the bridge along the path of oil. 

 

And it was coming so fast. He could barely think. He just hoped Midna wouldn’t leave him this time.

 

She didn’t. She tightened her grip on his fur, but it felt comforting, not demanding like it would have in the past. 

 

Link knew if he jumped over the edge there was a chance he might not survive. Midna was good at saving him in emergencies, but it would leave her exhausted. She hid it with a facade of laziness, but using her powers took a lot out of her. Hence why she assisted Link and gave him a boost more than do things herself. 

 

The fire was getting closer, and Link then didn’t care if Midna would be able to soften the fall or not. He’d pick any death over a fiery one. 

 

_ Some courage, _ he thought to himself bitterly.

 

He jumped.

 

**IV**.

 

He had been mentally preparing himself for going inside a volcano for the weeks leading up to it. 

 

So, he was doing pretty good with all things considered.

 

The heat drove him crazy. Every time he came a bit too close to flames, he wanted to scream. But he held it in. It was hot, but it was nothing compared to a burning building, where the flames grew around you and suffocated you and entrapped you. 

 

This was doable. Lava was so much better than fire. 

 

Coming across the surprisingly cool water in the middle of the dungeon was a blessing, even though there were bulbins at every post firing arrows at him. They were easy to take out.

 

Yeah, this wasn’t so bad. 

 

Until they reached the cursed Goron leader. He filled the whole room with flames, and Link felt like someone was just doing all this to spite him. 

 

But Link always prevailed. Midna got a little impatient with him being unable to think clearly, finding the solution obvious while Link couldn’t think of anything besides staying alive. 

 

Later Midna would wonder aloud why he was so useless during that fight, but show some unexpected concern, and Link would answer by sharing with her what he had shared with nobody. It would be the first heartfelt conversation they have, one of many. 

 

**III**.

 

Midna left him. She just abandoned him in that tiny house engulfed in flames, small explosives already going off and bigger ones just about to.

 

This was awful. He was all alone with the world on fire. If he were human he’d scream, but he was a wolf so he just whimpered and barked like the helpless animal he was.

 

He rushed to dig through the hole at the base of the wall, anxiety clouding every sense. 

 

Even when he was out of the building, he was shut down. He didn’t hear Midna making snide remarks or feel her impatiently patting his back. All that existed for him was the lingering paralyzing fear. 

 

Midna didn’t question it at the time. She just thought he was being stubborn after she left him and was making her wait. She even apologized for leaving him alone in the building after a few minutes of trying to get him to move, but she didn’t know that he couldn’t even hear her. 

 

**II**.

 

The sight of Rusl’s injuries hurt, but not as much as the hatred in his eyes at the sight of Link.

 

“Beast! Get back!” He yelled.

 

Overcome with sadness, Link did the stupid thing and tried to approach him, holding onto the irrational hope that Rusl would recognize him.

 

Upon coming within reach, however, the man hit him with his torch. Hard. 

 

The fire seared through his fur, and he ran to the water nearby. The burn still hurt, though. 

 

Link hated fire.

 

**I**.

 

Link hated fire because it’s how he became an orphan. It’s how he lost his village and for the longest time, his voice. 

 

Fire took his parents, but it took Epona’s parents too, so they had each other at least. 

 

Rusl took him in, Fado employed him, Ilia befriended him, and the village collectively raised him. 

 

The experience at such a young age scarred him, but he progressively grew out of being the voiceless, timid child and into a courageous, steadfast family man. Still quiet, always quiet, but the memories literally burned into his mind were far away. 

  
  
  
  



End file.
